Trust is Built in the Field, Not in the Conference Room

Lessons from the Military, Leadership, and the Book of James

Trust is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot.

Every organization talks about it. Every team says it matters. Every leader claims they want it.

But real trust isn’t created by slogans.

It isn’t built in a staff meeting. It isn’t earned through a title. And it certainly isn’t produced by a mission statement on the wall.

Trust is built somewhere else entirely.

Trust is built during training, in the field, in battle, with daily interactions.

The Military Taught Me What Trust Really Costs

During my time in the Army, especially in Special Operations, teamwork wasn’t a leadership concept.

It was survival.

You didn’t have the luxury of guessing whether someone would do their job.

You didn’t have time for ego.

And you couldn’t afford uncertainty.

In that environment, trust wasn’t automatic.

It was earned.

You trusted someone because:

• They prepared when nobody was watching

• They stayed calm under pressure

• They carried their weight

• They didn’t make excuses

• They looked out for the team, not themselves

• They performed their assignments

  
  

Trust was proven long before the mission ever started.

And the truth is, the mission always reveals what’s real.

Pressure doesn’t create character.

Pressure exposes it.

Trust Isn’t Built Through Words — It’s Built Through Consistency

One of the biggest lessons I carried from the military into every other part of life is this:

Trust doesn’t come from what people say.

Trust comes from what people repeatedly do.

Anybody can talk about teamwork.

But when things get difficult…

When the stakes are high…

When nobody is getting credit…

That’s when trust is either strengthened or broken.

Trust is built in the daily disciplines:

Showing up. Following through. Owning mistakes. Doing the hard work. Protecting the mission.

That’s what forms a team.

Mission Work Reinforced the Same Truth

Later, serving through nonprofit medical mission work in Central America, I saw trust built quickly — but not cheaply.

In those settings, you learn fast who is dependable.

When people are tired, stretched, and serving others in difficult conditions, trust becomes simple:

Can I count on you?

Will you do what you said?

Will you serve even when it’s uncomfortable?

The teams that made the biggest impact weren’t always the most skilled.

They were the most faithful to one another.

Trust was built in the work.

In Schools, Trust Is the Difference Between Functioning and Flourishing

Over more than 20 years serving as a CFO and COO in independent nonprofit schools, I’ve watched trust determine everything.

Two schools can have the same resources.

The same staffing.

The same strategic plan.

But the one with trust thrives.

And the one without trust struggles.

Because when trust is missing:

• Communication becomes cautious

• Departments become silos

• People protect themselves

• Decisions get second-guessed

• The mission gets heavier

• There is manipulation and hidden agendas

But when trust is strong:

• People collaborate naturally

• Accountability feels healthy

• Problems get solved faster

• Culture becomes stable

• Joy returns to the work

Trust is the foundation of every healthy school team.

And like the military, it isn’t built by talk.

It’s built by consistency.

James Gives Us the Blueprint

The Book of James is deeply practical when it comes to trust.

James tells us that faith is not something you claim.

It’s something you live.

“Do not merely listen to the word… Do what it says.”— James 1:22

That principle applies directly to teams.

Trust is not what you say you value.

Trust is what you demonstrate.

James also reminds us that maturity is developed through perseverance:

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete…”— James 1:4

Trust takes time.

It takes pressure.

It takes endurance.

It takes people walking through hard seasons together and still choosing integrity.

That’s how teams grow strong.

The Lesson

Here’s what I’ve learned across every chapter of life:

Trust is not granted.

Trust is earned.

And the best teams aren’t built through charisma or chemistry.

They’re built through character.

Trust is formed when people:

• Do what they say

• Carry the load

• Stay humble

• Put the mission above themselves

• Keep showing up

That’s true in combat.

That’s true in mission work.

And it’s true in schools.

A Closing Challenge

If you want to build a stronger team, ask yourself:

• Am I consistent enough for others to trust me?

• Do I follow through when it’s inconvenient?

• Do I bring stability or uncertainty to my team?

• Am I living my values or only talking about them?

  
  

Because trust isn’t built in the conference room.

It’s built in the field — in the daily work, the unseen moments, and the hard seasons.

And when trust is strong…

Collaboration becomes natural.